Government Announces New “Pride In Place” Programme

The Government has announced a new Pride in Place programme, which will hand local communities new powers and funding to revitalise high streets, public spaces, and community assets.

The initiative forms part of the Government’s Plan for Change and represents what has been described as the largest transfer of power from Whitehall to local areas.

Under the programme, communities will have new rights to:

• acquire boarded-up shops and derelict businesses through compulsory purchase powers
• buy or protect local assets such as pubs, libraries and leisure centres under a strengthened “Community Right to Buy”
• block certain types of new shops, including betting shops and vape stores

The Government has pledged up to £5 billion to support 339 neighbourhoods across the UK. This includes:

• 169 areas to receive £2 million annually for the next ten years
• 95 areas to share £150 million of immediate capital funding to improve high streets, parks, play areas and leisure facilities
• continuation and expansion of projects already underway in 75 areas, with examples ranging from regeneration of shopping centres, to cultural festivals in Blyth, and CCTV investment

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the scheme is intended to “restore local pride” and give residents “a proper say” over where money is spent. Communities Secretary Steve Reed added that the programme will support a “grassroots movement” to put people in control of how their neighbourhoods are renewed. Chancellor Rachel Reeves highlighted the investment as part of a wider effort to boost economic growth and local infrastructure.

According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the programme is designed to address long-term decline in town centres, regional inequalities, and underinvestment in public spaces, while giving communities direct control over how funding is allocated.

Further details, including a list of the areas benefiting from the programme and the full Pride in Place strategy can be found here.

The RSN’s analysis indicates that of the neighbourhoods selected to take part in the Pride in Place programme across the UK, only two in England are located in local authorities classified as Majorly Rural.

Rural deprivation is often dispersed and less visible in national datasets, making it harder to capture through current measures. As set out in our Delivering for All roadmap, better rural-focused metrics are essential to ensure that programmes such as this reflect the realities of rural communities and that they are not left behind.

Plunkett UK response: National charity Plunkett UK welcomed the new powers for communities but expressed concern that the Pride in Place programme “risks overlooking rural communities.”

Chief Executive James Alcock said:

"While the measures announced are welcome for the urban communities identified, and the funding will undoubtedly provide a much-needed boost, we are deeply concerned that rural communities have once again been overlooked. For too long, successive governments have failed to recognise the unique challenges facing rural areas – where people live without access to basic services, affordable transport, or even a place to gather and socialise."

You can read Plunkett UK’s full response here.